Radiation impact study made mandatory

By rawat

Created 01/17/2012 - 16:29

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) ordered mandatory radiation impact studies before approving Thermal Power Plants. The order was issued followed by an appeal filed by social and environmental groups against the Environmental Clearance granted to the proposed 3*600 MW expansion of coal based thermal power plant unit at Koradi Thermal Power Project in Nagpur district of Maharashtra. The appellants claim that the Environmental Impact Assessment report failed to take into account the cumulative impact assessment of the various existing and proposed power plants within the area.

The report has also misinterpreted the facts and impact of nuclear radiation due to thermal power plant was not studied and mentioned in the report. The National Green Tribunal identified that the nuclear radiation emanated from the thermal power plant is more than the radiation from nuclear power plant. After a series of studies and research presented to the court, NGT concluded that these radiations enter into the water bodies and food chain and is very likely to impact the population residing around the project area. NGT has directed Ministry of Environment and Forests to look into the impacts caused by nuclear radiation by involving Bhabha Atomic Research Agency or other recognized scientific institution dealing with nuclear radiation.